Clamp-down on Brazilian comedians no laughing matter

By Diana Renee Aug 21, 2010, 13:26 GMT

   Rio de Janeiro - Political satire - the bread and butter of comedians around the world - has been gagged in Brazil for more than a decade.

But on Sunday, Brazil's top comics are set to protest the law that bans them from joking on the radio and television about the candidates in the October election.

'I decided to organize the demonstration now for two main reasons: when the law was passed I was only 13, and besides, at that time there was only one programme devoted to political humour, and now there are several programmes that are affected,' said comic Fabio Porchat, who works for the powerful Globo TV network.

The 1997 law establishes fines of up to 60,000 dollars for media that broadcast any 'audio or video resources which in any way degrade or ridicule candidates, political parties or coalitions' in an election.

It has been in place since 1997, but this is the first time that comics have united and got organized to fight it.

   Politics is the main theme in comedy programmes like CQC, whose presenters are among the leaders of the protest - called Humour Without Censorship.

It's logo is a clown with a plug in its mouth drawn by caricature artist Nani.

'We do not abide by laws that are there to serve you. On the contrary, it is you who make and monitor laws to serve us. And we don't want this law. You, our elected officials, can repeal it,' Danilo Gentili, of CQC, said in an open letter to Congress and to Electoral Justice officials.

   Helio de la Pena, of Brazil's most popular comedy programme, Casseta e Planeta, confirmed that he will take part in Sunday's protest, which will seek to obtain signatures for a petition that will then be handed over to the Culture Ministry.

'Everyday we have to put up with (the candidates), on the radio and on television, for 50 minutes, afternoon and night. And we cannot even mention their names,' De la Pena said.

'Excluding humour from the electoral process does not raise the level of a campaign, it does not inform the population, it does not make our politicians more respectable,' he added.

De la Pena slammed the 'absurd legislation' which treats candidates as 'poor, defenceless people, the victims of jokes.'

'It's as if the poor guys were being subjected to bullying by comics. They are going to end up appearing in electoral adverts alongside their parents, so that we don't mock them,' he joked.

Last week, after taking part in the first televised debate of the campaign ahead of the October 3 election, the three top presidential candidates - centre-left Dilma Rousseff, centre-right Jose Serra and green candidate Marina Silva - were asked by CQC about the law.

They said they did not mind the mocking of comedy programmes.

In response to the criticism, Brazil's Superior Electoral Tribunal noted that the law on the issue was passed by Congress and has been in place since October 1, 1997.

'So six elections have already been held under that disposition, which refers to any television or radio programme, and not just to comedy programmes,' the court argued.